A Republican state senator wants the Legislature's oversight committee to launch an investigation into whether Gov. Paul LePage "crossed legal or ethical lines" by meddling in a charter school's personnel matters.

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Sen. Tom Saviello asked the Government Oversight Committee on Monday to look into Democratic House Speaker Mark Eves' claims that LePage threatened to withhold funds from Good Will-Hinckley unless the school removed Eves as president there.

Saviello said a letter to the committee that the claims, if accurate, "offer a chilling example of potential overstep of executive authority" by LePage.

The governor has said that Eves was a longtime foe of charter schools and unqualified for the job.

His staff has declined to discuss the specific claim, citing a pending lawsuit by Eves.

Democratic leaders expressed their support of the request.

“We support an investigation into these allegations of serious abuses of power in regards to Good Will-Hinckley as well as others incidents that have been reported in the media. The people of Maine have a right to know whether their elected officials are misusing their authority or state funds,” House Majority Leader Jeff McCabe said.